Sole-edge-trimming machine.



No. 818,637. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

W. F. PAOKARDL SOLE EDGE TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 1904. 2 SHEETS SHEBT 1.

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W. F. PACKARD.

SOLE EDGE TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 31. 1904- 2 sinus-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES WVILLIAM F. PACKARD, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOROF ONEHALF TO CHARLES E. FIELD, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOLE-EDGE-TRIMMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed October 31, 1904. Serial No- 230,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM F. PACKARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sole-Edge-TrimmingMachines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

My invention has for its object the provision of means for quickly,accurately, and neatly trimming the edges of a boot or shoe sole.

Stated in general terms, myinvention comprises opposite rotary cuttersmounted at the ends of arms swinging on fixed pivots and held yieldinglytogether for simultaneously engaging the opposite edges of a sole, saidcutters having an edge guide for engaging the crease between the upperand sole for guiding the cutters and also having means for maintainingthe sole in correct position and being preferably adjustable in saidarms to vary the angle or style of trimming.

Further advantages and details of construction will be pointed out inthe course of the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, the latter being more particularly defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of one embodimentof my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is afragmentary detail illustrating the adjustability and operative relationof the cutter-heads and cutters.

Carried by a suitable base or pedestal 1 is a head or shelf 2, providedwith opposite fixed pivots 3 3, on which are pivotally mounted arms a,each carrying a cutter-head or cut tersupporting frame 5, having heavyjourrial-bearings 6, or a vertical shaft 7, on which is mounted a pulley8 between said bearings 6 and a cutter 9 above said bearings, beingsteadied by a projection 10 of said arm 5 engaging the upper end of theshaft 7.

The cutter-head 5 is horizontally journaled at 11 in the outer ends ofsaid arms 4, and the latter have a strong frame-like constructioncomprising an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 13, the lattersliding at its outer end on ways 14, and said arms are held yicldinglytoward each other by a heavy spring 15. At their lower ends the arms 4are connected by a toggle comprising links 16, pivoted at one end toears l7 and at their other ends pivoted to a slide 18, movinglongitudinally on a way 19 on the upper side of the head 2. At itsforward end the slide 18 is slotted at 20 and carries anantifrictionroll 21, adapted to be engaged by the upper end 22 of abell-crank 23, pivoted at 24 to a hanger 25, extending from said head 2,said bell-crank 23 being operated by a treadle 26, connected thereto bya link 27.

Above each cutter 9 I provide a yielding edge guide or pattern-flange28, adapted to follow the crease between the upper and the sole forlimiting the inward cutting action of the cutter-knife, and therebymaking the sole conform to the desired pattern or style of the shoe, andbeneath each cutter 9 is a yielding flange or work-rest 29, heldnormally upward by a spring 30, said flange or work-rest being beveledon its upper edge, as shown at 31, to permit the work always to enterreadily. Said cutters are driven by opposite bolts 32, connecting theirpulleys 8 with pulleys 33 on a shaft 34, driven by a belt 35 from abelt-pulley 36 on the drivingshaft 37, which also carries a pulley 38 tobe belted to the counter-shaft of the building.

The operation of my edge-trimming machine will readily be understoodfrom the foregoing description. The operator seizes the shoe to betrimmed and first depresses the treadle 26, so as to separate thecutters, then quickly engaging the shoe adjacent the shank at itsopposite edges with the respective cutters, the edges of the solereadily entering between the guide-llange or edge 28 and the beveledwork-support 29, the edge-guides 28 simultaneously follow around thecrease of the shoe adjacent the sole, thereby permitting the edge of thelatter to be trimmed to the right extent only. As the sole is guided andheld the flange or rest 29 yields down wardly for the thick portionsthereof and also holds the sole firmly in position and prevents anywavering movement or uncertainty of trimming operation. hen the sole hasbeen trimmed at its opposite sides, the cutters approach each other atthe toe end of the shoe, and the workman quickly gives the shoe ahalf-swing one way and then the other, thereby rounding the toe properlyagainst the cutters before withdrawing the sole from between the twoflanges 28 29. If it is desired to change the bevel of the cut edge ofthe sole, the cut ter-heads are adjusted to the required angle byturning them slightly in their bearings 11 in the swinging arms 4. Theoperator has it within his power to regulate to an appreciable extentthe trimming by using the treadle for varying the pressure of theedge-guides 28, due to the spring 15 upon the crease between the upperand sole. Usually the cutters will be permitted to follow around theshoe without any treadle action. The longitudinal inner edges of theguides 28 are held in normal position capable of yielding slightly bysprings 39 and engage with the shoe for a suf ficient length to preventthe cutters from following any slight irregularity of sewing or surface,but are rounded off at their forward ends to facilitate the quickswinging movement above explained for rounding the toe.

By my invention great rapidity of work is possible, as the cutters beingdriven at a very high speed the operator is required simply to depressthe treadle so as to enable him to put the shoe in place toe forward inengagement with the cutters at the shank of the shoe and then merelydraw the shoe toward him, terminating the movement with a quick swingingof the shoe on its toe as a pivot, thereby turning said toe firstagainst one cutter and then against the other cutter. This quick simplemovement serves to finish the edgetrimming of the shoe. The work issmooth and uniform, as no jumping or irregularity of finish is possible,because of any thick portions or hard portions of sole-leather, as thetrimming does not depend upon any handpressure of the sole against thecutter, and for the same reason there can be no uncertainty orirregularity as to the bevel or angle of trimming, which is necessarilyuniform, as the opposite edges are held in direct engagementsimultaneously with the opposite cutters guided by the shoe itself.

Another main object had in view is the elimination of complicated partsand construction. It will be seen that there is practically nothing toget out of order or to require adjustment, as everything issubstantially automatic. 7

It will be understood that my machine is capable of many variations inform, construction, and combination of-parts without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, and accordingly I do not intend tolimit the latter except as expressed in the claims, taken in connectionwith this specification.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite arms mounted to swing onfixed pivots,

rotary cutters, shafts, and pulleys carried in the free ends of saidarms, a spring normally holding said cutters toward each other, andtreadle mechanism for positively separating said cutters at will.

2. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising cutters movable toward and from eachother, edgeguides movable with said cutters for engaging the oppositesides of the shoe and automatically directing the trimming action ofsaid cutters by said engagement with the shoe, and yielding meansnormally holding said cutters toward each other and maintaining saidedgeguides in engagement With the shoe.

3. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite arms mounted to swing towardand from each other, and each provided with a cutter and with anedge-guide for hearing directly on the shoe and directing the cuttingaction, and with a yielding work-rest for engaging the sole opposite theedge-guide, yielding means for yieldingly pressing said edge-guides inunremitting engagement with the shoe on opposite sides thereof, andmeans for rotating said cutters.

4. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite cutters for simultaneouslyengaging the opposite edges of a sole, yielding means for maintainingsaid cutters under a tendency to move toward each other, and treadlemechanism for controlling at will the action of said yielding means.

5. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite cutters mounted to movetoward and from each other, means for rotating them, yielding meansnormally holding said cutters toward each other, said cutters being atall times free to move toward each other into engagement with theopposite edges of the sole, and means carried by said cutters forsupporting a shoe at its opposite sides in proper position for trimming.

6. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite cutters mounted to swingabout fixed pivots, means for manually separating said cutters toreceive a sole between them, and automatic means for bringing saidcutters together for trimming the toe as the shoe is pulled by theoperator from between the cutters.

7. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite arms swinging about fixedpivots, rotary cutters carried by said arms, a tension-spring connectingsaid arms, and manual separating means therefor, said cutters beingprovided with means for simultaneously engaging the opposite sides of ashoe-sole at its opposite edges.

8. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising swinging arms carrying cutters attheir free ends, means for swinging said arms toward each other, meanscarried by said cutters for directing the extent of cutting actionthereof, a toggle connecting said arms, and a treadle for operating saidtoggle.

9. A sole-edge trimmer, comprising opposite cutters for simultaneouslyengaging the opposite edges of a sole, and edge-guides to engage theshoe for guiding said cutters, said edge-guides having a longitudinaledge adjacent the shoe for preventing the cutters from following aslight unevenness in the shoe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM F. PACKARD.

Vitnesses:

GEO. H. MAXWELL, M. A. JoNEs.

